Logistical challenges with an emphasis on organizing specialized triage in the conditions of a newly emerging, epidemiologically significant infectious pathogen for humans -SARS-CoV2

Background: UMHATEM N.I. Pirogov" Sofia, is one of the largest and busiest hospitals for emergency medical care in Bulgaria. It is the legal successor of the former Institute of Emergency Medicine N.I. Pirogov", and it can be said that at the moment it is the only diagnostic-therapeutic, prophylactic and scientific-educational structure of this type within the Bulgarian healthcare system. The concept of adequate functioning and development of this type of hospital does not consider structuring an Infectious Diseases diagnostic-treatment unit. This reality makes necessary the formation of a radically different organization for the admission and treatment of patients in the hospital, both for those with symptoms of Covid 19 and for all other emergency patients. The organization created in this way must absolutely guarantee safety for both streams of patients. In the conditions of a pandemic, in case of a real threat to public health, the main task of triage in the Emergency Department is to establish indications for urgent hospitalization, or to refuse it in the absence of indications. The characteristic course of the disease, the prolonged treatment, the manifestations within the so-called post-Covid syndrome", require serious planning not only of the diagnostic-treatment and rehabilitation period, but also adequate monitoring in the first months after the patient's discharge. Within the national reorganization measures, during the determined periods, the main changes concerning the MED (Multi-profile emergency department) of Pirogov are implemented, with an emphasis on the formation of a specialized triage for the diagnosis and clinical evaluation of patients with a coronavirus infection. The main goal is the adequate diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of patients with coronavirus infection who have passed through the organized Covid-triage in a period of extreme pressure on the emergency structures and on the hospital system in the country as a whole. Objective(s): For a MED, which at the time of declaring an epidemic situation does not have a concept for the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, to systematize the main urgently implemented organizational and structural changes, which turned out to be absolutely necessary to meet a newly emerging epidemiologically significant infectious disease. Aim(s): To systematize the organizational changes imposed by the situation and urgently implemented in the MED (multi-profile emergency department). To systematize the structural changes imposed by the situation and urgently implemented in the work of the MED. To analyze the organizational and structural changes carried out in this way and to differentiate the main difficulties caused by the regulations existing at the time of the announcement of the epidemic situationCopyright © Pantileeva D et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

Tobacco smokers as target group for complicated coronavirus infection

The aim of current study was to determine, retrospectively, possible correlations between smoking and the incidence, course severity, intubation rate, and mortality (by gender and age) in patients treated for complicated coronavirus infection in the internal medicine clinic at UMHATEM ”N. I. Pirogov” Sofia for the period 01.03.2020–31.12.2020. In a prospective study, the recovery period and immunogenesis in smokers and non-smokers within a one-year period after hospital discharge was investigated. The applied methods were: 1) computed tomography and blood gas analysis 2) chemiluminescent immunoassay for the qualitative determination of total IgM, IgA and IgG anti-SARS-CoV2 AB. Results showed that the part of non-smokers with a positive PCR test is significantly higher compared to the group of former and current smokers. The data obtained from the study confirmed that Covid infection is much more severe among smokers and former smokers with a higher levels of inflammatory markers noticed among the smoking group.

Immunogenesis in patients with medium and severe coronavirus infection – dynamics in different age groups

The results of a one-year prospective study, during which the process of immunogenesis in patients over 18 years of age with moderate and severe coronavirus infection was monitored and analyzed in clinical and paraclinical (clinical laboratory) aspects, are summarized and presented. The study included 2683 patients, all treated in the Clinic of Internal Diseases at the University Multiprofile Hospital for Active Treatment and Emergency Medicine “N. I. Pirogov” EAD, Sofia for the period from April 2020 to December 2020. Patients were followed for one year after recovering from moderate to severe coronavirus infection. Patients are grouped into four age categories as follows: 18–45 years;46–65 years;66–80 years and over 80 years. The results of our study show that during the study period in 97% of patients the level of anti-SARS-CoV2, rose and in the remaining three percent it was flat or followed by subsequent waning (in less than 1% of patients), but does not reach critically low levels (i. e. below the positivity conditional threshold). The level of IgG reached a peak and then waned, but on the other hand, as mentioned above, the amount of Ig-Total tested shows a significant increase. This trend is observed in all age groups, with a difference in the level of IgG and Ig-Total depending on age. The results of the additional screening in the target period in terms of virulence and virus segregation, categorically rule out the suspicion of the presence of “silent spreader”. During the follow-up period, no patients were re-hospitalized due to recurrence of Coronavirus infection (re-infection and illness). © 2022

COVID-19 as a concomitant diagnosis and the emergencies behind COVID-19 mask - a real challenge that requires a multidisciplinary view of the patient

The etiological cause of Coronavirus infection, which has captured the attention of almost the whole world at the moment, is SARS-CoV2. The clinical picture of coronavirus infection varies from asymptomatic to severe respiratory infection with manifestations of respiratory failure, the development of respiratory distress syndrome and even death. Already in the first months of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States there was a serious decline in the number of patients seeking medical care in the Emergency Department (49.3%) compared to 2019. There is evidence of increased mortality during the pandemic, which causality cannot be directly or associated with coronavirus infection. Even in the context of a global pandemic, we must not forget all other diagnoses and conditions that exist as comorbidity, and emergency care must be provided without delay and delay.

COVID-19 - the challenge to treat a disease and not a positive RT-PCR test

The new pandemic disease COVID is quick spread worldwide.The primary method used for diagnosing of COVID-19 is detecting viral nucleic acids. The main problem with RT-PCR test is the false negative results. The negative RT-PCR does not exclude a SARS-CoV-2 infection and this method should not be used as the only diagnostic criteria. The RT-PCR result does not change the complex treatment of the disease. The aim of the current study is to compare the four groups clinical cases of the different parameters: RT-PCR test, rapid test, clinical picture, laboratory tests as hematology, inflammatory markers, coagulation status and chemistry and imaging examinations: Chest X-ray at and Chest CT scan. Complex therapeutic approach has been implemented: antibiotic, inflammatory, anticoagulants, oxygen therapy, hepatoprotectors, antimycotics, fibrinolytics, probiotics, essential oils, vitamins. During the follow-up period, a tendency for significant reduction and resorption of the pulmonary changes on the CT scans has been seen.

The role of immunostimulants in the complex therapy of Covid 19 - a clinical case

The aim of current study was the investigation of complex treatment including nutritional supplement with recognized antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties (malic, glycyrrhizic, ascorbic and folic acids, glucosamine, arginine, glycine, calcium pantothenate, cyanocobalamine, zinc sulfate, pyridoxal) and purely plant systemic protease supplement (Serrapeptase, Bromelaim, Boswellia, Uncaria tomentosa, Quercetin) as a strategy against Covid 19. A clinical case of a 33-year-old patient treated in Internal Clinic Diseases "Pirogov" against atypical bilaterally viral pneumonia with RT-PCR proven coronavirus have been presented. A complex treatment strategy was applied: Doxycycline, Amikacin sulfate, food additive containing malic and glycyrhizic acids, aminoacids, B-vitamins, antioxidants, proteolytic agent, Methylprednisolone, anticoagulant: Nadroparin calcium, hepatoprotector: Ademethionine. After 16 days hospitalization and two negative RT-PCR tests the patient was discharged in improved condition and home treatment with Levofloxacin hemihydrate, vitamins, probiotics, immunomodulatory and proteolytic products for one month was recommended. Immunostimulating, proteolytic and other products have an important role in complex treatment.